What is your teaching philosophy?

I think it is imperative that we, as educators, are continually striving to find the inner strength and talent that all students possess. Every child has his/her own individual talents, whether he/she is aware of them or not. I believe it is my job to find these strengths and help bring them out. Creating a strong connection with students helps me to be able to reach them academically. A large part of students wanting to learn is the confidence that they have in themselves and their ability to accomplish a task. Understanding that their teacher has confidence in them will help to fuel a positive association with learning. If students can tell that I care about them and their mastery of a skill, they are much more likely to put forth a good effort. My goal is to foster a love of learning in my students and give them the opportunity to discover their potential.

What might you do in a typical first session with a student?

To begin, I would get to know the student. We would discuss their interests, hobbies, and favorite parts about school. I plan to get a feel for the student's personality, as well as their academic behavior and tendencies. I would also do a few pre-assessments according to the subject to gauge the student's academic ability level. We would then discuss the student's goals for themselves, and write them out.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

As I'm introducing a new skill, I give the student an opportunity to investigate and share their own ideas. I use guiding questions and wait time after posing a question to give students the ability to come up with an answer or solve the problem using their own abilities. I am constantly challenging students to try something another way, simultaneously raising expectations as well as their confidence. I plan to give students the tools they need to accomplish a task when they.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I am constantly giving students positive reinforcement and celebrating the small victories. Students feel successful as they go. I also offer many opportunities for student choice, giving them an active role in their own learning.

If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?

I would model the skill/concept again more slowly. I may restate the ideas in a new way, use different mediums (i.e. drawing a picture, using manipulatives) or make a comparison to something they already understand.

How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?

I model how to use different strategies from their "reading toolbox." I will show a student the way that I would comprehend the text, narrating my thought process out loud. I might suggest rereading, asking questions about the text, making a connection to the text, summarizing the text and looking back in the story for the answer.

How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?

I would promote discussion that enables students to understand how this content is useful in their own lives. I would also present the information to them in a way that connects to their interests.

What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?

In a reading session, I use mentor texts, on-level texts, evidence finder tools, reading focus cards, a "mystery" bag to for fun question answering, and animal-themed question pieces. In a math session, I have many types of math manipulatives including counting cubes, dice, 10 frames, spinners, 100 blocks, tens rods and ones cubes, puzzles, clocks, pretend money and counters.